Take a photo of a barcode or cover
zephonsacriel 's review for:
Boys In the Valley
by Philip Fracassi
"God is not found through escape from a distant place, but through the arrival of where you already are."
I'm still rather misty-eyed as I write this. Forgive me...
In Pennsylvania 1905, young Peter lives in a Catholic all-boys orphanage; years ago his father killed his mother and himself. Life there is tough, but it's the only home Peter and the boys know. Father Poole and his (basically) lapdog Brother Johnson, the latter a former criminal who chose service to the church as punishment instead of imprisonment, keep a very tight leash and punish the boys quite harshly. Peter, often called Saint Peter by the other boys, is one of the two lights at the orphanage. He cares for the other boys and treats them kindly, all while preparing for priesthood under the second light, Father Andrew. But Peter is conflicted about his path to the priesthood, for he has long had feelings for Grace Hill, a farm girl whose father helps supply the orphanage.
All of this is upended when the sheriff brings his brother the orphanage. The man is covered in occult symbols after being pulled from a ritual in the forest where men and women killed a three-year-old girl. Just before the sheriff's brother's death he utters the words, "We are many. We are Legion."
And then, slowly, some of the boys start to turn and a dark shadow falls over the orphanage. And then the first deaths begin.
This is my first read ever by Philip Fracassi and I'm delighted to say that I am an immediate fan. This was a great horror read to end in October! It gave me everything I wanted: characters I cared for, actual scares and a menacing threat, and an actually good and in-depth discussion of faith. This book has been, rightly, marketed as Netflix's Midnight Mass meets [b:Lord of the Flies|84943|Lord of the Flies|William Golding|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1340919381l/84943._SY75_.jpg|2766512], though I think it is much stronger than either one of those. It was frankly better than my previous read, [b:Goddess of Filth|55370887|Goddess of Filth|V. Castro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600459659l/55370887._SX50_.jpg|86353541], another, different kind of possession story that fell flat due to being too short, rushed discussion of its themes, and just not being that scary.
Boys in the Valley follows four perspectives: the first person of Peter, partially navigating his conflicting thoughts on being a man of God versus being a man of the world; the second being Father Andrew, Peter's mentor--HEY, look at the significance of those names!--, as he tries to stop the cruel Poole and Johnson from mistreating the boys and guide Peter, but sometimes fails at it; the third being David, Peter's friend, who does not enjoy his life at the orphanage, mostly from the physical abuse he received at Poole's hands as a child; and finally, Johnson, a cruel man who might have a softer side beneath all that grit and anger.
Peter's was the most fleshed-out perspective, and it makes since because he's the central character who drives the story. We can see Peter's kindness, fear, and conflicting thoughts on his path in life and how they color his decisions. The conflict of Peter's path made me genuinely interested, wondering if he would be the next priest at the orphanage and be a better "father" to the boys than the other priests or if he would fall in love with Grace. I loved Peter so much and when he showed his bravery to defend the other boys I was so proud of him, but I will say upfront that he is not able to save every boy. At first, at least. And...I'm also in tears about Peter's fate. A part of me suspected that it would be his fate, but another part of me thought (hoped) that maybe it wouldn't. The strange thing is, despite my feelings about it, I don't think I could've seen another outcome. Oh, Peter...
Andrew, David, and Johnson are reasonably fleshed out, but it wouldn't have hurt to get more from them. Of the three of them, I think Andrew is the most complete of them. Andrew genuinely wants to defend the boys from Poole and Johnson's law and order, but sometimes he's so ineffectual you just want to scream. I do think there is a point to this though. Boys in the Valley deals with the theme of fatherhood, both literal and spiritual. Peter's real father killed himself before Peter's eyes leaving him alone in the world for a time, but, one could argue, the reason for Peter's protectiveness of the other boys is to pick up where his father failed. Andrew, Peter's spiritual father, teaches him important things about faith and growing up into a man, but he too lacks strength in certain areas to defend others. Poole, the head priest, is basically a tyrant, showing that a man with so much power at the top will care little for others. And Johnson, who is a brother and not a priest, there's a difference in Catholicism, is a man who wants nothing more to enact his misery upon others. Andrew is the best "father" Peter has right now, but not even he is perfect. Andrew did frustrate me sometimes, but he was a compelling character.
David's perspective was necessary. Although Peter was definitely not blind to the cruelty of Poole and Johnson, we don't get too much about how utterly evil it is until the demons take over and the killings begin. The abuse David received from Poole as a child hangs over him and thus informs how he navigates his daily life at the orphanage and how he thinks about the eventual demonic threat. David can be selfish at times and while I think Fracassi could've gone into a bit more detail about this, it does spring from his feelings of growing up in the orphanage and the desperation from escaping the threat. He even goes so far as to deny the main threat as demonic--interestingly Father Andrew does too at first, perhaps out of guilt for being unable to defend the boys properly--and says that the boys who allied with demons are doing this in retaliation for the life they've lived. Still, every main character needs a foil who views the world differently, and I think David was good for Peter in that regard. David does grow though. Like Peter, he becomes a man and a "father" in his own way.
Johnson was the least fleshed out and we could've seen more. He's a genuinely cruel and terrible man, sublimating his childhood trauma and life as a criminal into his thoughts and actions. This causes him to be easily influenced by the demons who poke and play at his weaknesses. And in spite of all of that, there is a softer side to him that is deeply buried underneath all that. When the first body is found, Johnson is actually grief-stricken and aghast at Father Poole's insensitivity. There's even smaller moments as he tries and fails to resist possession. I won't spoil his fate, but let's jsut say he's able to turn to this better side; albeit it feels forgotten by the other characters.
All of these perspective develop the plot well, especially Peter and Andrew, and the pacing is topnotch. Every scene carries the plot or some sort of emotional development forward and I cherished every moment of it. And even though the pacing is at the correct speed, not too quick and not too slow, nothing of value is lost from the text. Some books can be too quick and you forget certain things. Others can be too slow and your interest starts to wane. Boys in the Valley avoids all of this.
However, what I think I enjoyed most about this book is the discussion of faith and priesthood. I mentioned earlier that this book is sometimes compared to Midnight Mass on Netflix, but I think it's better than Midnight Mass in its discussions. I have no idea what Fracassi believes in or doesn't believe in, nor is it any of my business, but while Boys in the Valley does show how abuse can and has happened in Catholic orphanages, it never disparages the religion itself or belief. I also want to clarify that the abuse in this book never goes to the sexual level, thankfully. The abuse here is at the hands of power-hungry, uncaring men who want things their way. This ties a little back into the whole fatherhood theme. No idea if Fracassi was intending some sort of commentary on toxic masculinity, but if so I applaud him for not beating us over the head with it. In fact, I think it's Poole and Johnson's cruelty, along with the demons' ability to seduce the broken boys who hate being in the orphanage, that make Peter want to focus on his faith and consider the path of priesthood. He wants to be a good father/priest for those who don't have it.
But anyway, back to the Midnight Mass comparison.
Midnight Mass brought up a lot of great points about asking where God's mercy is (if it is even anywhere, especially among other people), can one be forgiven and redeemed for what they've done, and asking just who or what God is. However, in the last episode of the miniseries one the characters gives her thoughts on what God is and, to be honest, I felt that the director Mike Flanagan was trying to placate both the religious and the non-religious viewers of it. The speech was very "Let's come together and God is just kind of (insert what the character said here)." And frankly, to me, that weakened the horror the show was trying to portray. Boys in the Valley never argues about God's existence, but asks what God demands of us for others. This isn't a book that I'd call Christian fiction, but I'd put it on the same level as Jo Walton's [b:Lent|41554680|Lent|Jo Walton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537516172l/41554680._SY75_.jpg|64833485] or Mary Doria Russell's [b:The Sparrow|334176|The Sparrow (The Sparrow, #1)|Mary Doria Russell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1230829367l/334176._SY75_.jpg|3349153]--it takes its subject matter seriously, something I find refreshing in the wasteland of shit that currently exists in the many fields of media storytelling that has limp-wristed discussions of faith and religion. Fracassi never tries to convert or de-convert anybody. He tells us a compelling story and fleshes out its themes and characters to tackle the subject matter.
One thing worth pointing out when concerning the religious themes of this book is that one needs to remember that this takes place in America shortly after the turn of the century, especially in Pennsylvania. Historically, Catholicism was not openly welcomed in early America by the earlier Protestant settlers, though Pennsylvania was somewhat of a safe haven, though not without prejudice. Having the orphanage being remote in a valley, though at a much later date, feels like that Fracassi is reminding of us how truly alone Peter and the others are. Additionally, the story is set only nine years before the First World War. The First World War, heralded by the shot heard around the world, would be the seedling that would cause the rest of the world to start questioning the powers that be, politically, socially, economically, and religiously. It's almost as if the events of Boys in the Valley is a lament that good people like Peter started to fade or become unseen before the world plunge into disquietude. But that is merely my own ramblings/theory.
And that ending...That fucking ending. I am...I am just filled with joy and sorrow. Bittersweet endings. How I love you.
Thank you for this, Fracassi.
I'm still rather misty-eyed as I write this. Forgive me...
In Pennsylvania 1905, young Peter lives in a Catholic all-boys orphanage; years ago his father killed his mother and himself. Life there is tough, but it's the only home Peter and the boys know. Father Poole and his (basically) lapdog Brother Johnson, the latter a former criminal who chose service to the church as punishment instead of imprisonment, keep a very tight leash and punish the boys quite harshly. Peter, often called Saint Peter by the other boys, is one of the two lights at the orphanage. He cares for the other boys and treats them kindly, all while preparing for priesthood under the second light, Father Andrew. But Peter is conflicted about his path to the priesthood, for he has long had feelings for Grace Hill, a farm girl whose father helps supply the orphanage.
All of this is upended when the sheriff brings his brother the orphanage. The man is covered in occult symbols after being pulled from a ritual in the forest where men and women killed a three-year-old girl. Just before the sheriff's brother's death he utters the words, "We are many. We are Legion."
And then, slowly, some of the boys start to turn and a dark shadow falls over the orphanage. And then the first deaths begin.
This is my first read ever by Philip Fracassi and I'm delighted to say that I am an immediate fan. This was a great horror read to end in October! It gave me everything I wanted: characters I cared for, actual scares and a menacing threat, and an actually good and in-depth discussion of faith. This book has been, rightly, marketed as Netflix's Midnight Mass meets [b:Lord of the Flies|84943|Lord of the Flies|William Golding|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1340919381l/84943._SY75_.jpg|2766512], though I think it is much stronger than either one of those. It was frankly better than my previous read, [b:Goddess of Filth|55370887|Goddess of Filth|V. Castro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600459659l/55370887._SX50_.jpg|86353541], another, different kind of possession story that fell flat due to being too short, rushed discussion of its themes, and just not being that scary.
Boys in the Valley follows four perspectives: the first person of Peter, partially navigating his conflicting thoughts on being a man of God versus being a man of the world; the second being Father Andrew, Peter's mentor--HEY, look at the significance of those names!--, as he tries to stop the cruel Poole and Johnson from mistreating the boys and guide Peter, but sometimes fails at it; the third being David, Peter's friend, who does not enjoy his life at the orphanage, mostly from the physical abuse he received at Poole's hands as a child; and finally, Johnson, a cruel man who might have a softer side beneath all that grit and anger.
Peter's was the most fleshed-out perspective, and it makes since because he's the central character who drives the story. We can see Peter's kindness, fear, and conflicting thoughts on his path in life and how they color his decisions. The conflict of Peter's path made me genuinely interested, wondering if he would be the next priest at the orphanage and be a better "father" to the boys than the other priests or if he would fall in love with Grace. I loved Peter so much and when he showed his bravery to defend the other boys I was so proud of him, but I will say upfront that he is not able to save every boy. At first, at least. And...I'm also in tears about Peter's fate. A part of me suspected that it would be his fate, but another part of me thought (hoped) that maybe it wouldn't. The strange thing is, despite my feelings about it, I don't think I could've seen another outcome. Oh, Peter...
Andrew, David, and Johnson are reasonably fleshed out, but it wouldn't have hurt to get more from them. Of the three of them, I think Andrew is the most complete of them. Andrew genuinely wants to defend the boys from Poole and Johnson's law and order, but sometimes he's so ineffectual you just want to scream. I do think there is a point to this though. Boys in the Valley deals with the theme of fatherhood, both literal and spiritual. Peter's real father killed himself before Peter's eyes leaving him alone in the world for a time, but, one could argue, the reason for Peter's protectiveness of the other boys is to pick up where his father failed. Andrew, Peter's spiritual father, teaches him important things about faith and growing up into a man, but he too lacks strength in certain areas to defend others. Poole, the head priest, is basically a tyrant, showing that a man with so much power at the top will care little for others. And Johnson, who is a brother and not a priest, there's a difference in Catholicism, is a man who wants nothing more to enact his misery upon others. Andrew is the best "father" Peter has right now, but not even he is perfect. Andrew did frustrate me sometimes, but he was a compelling character.
David's perspective was necessary. Although Peter was definitely not blind to the cruelty of Poole and Johnson, we don't get too much about how utterly evil it is until the demons take over and the killings begin. The abuse David received from Poole as a child hangs over him and thus informs how he navigates his daily life at the orphanage and how he thinks about the eventual demonic threat. David can be selfish at times and while I think Fracassi could've gone into a bit more detail about this, it does spring from his feelings of growing up in the orphanage and the desperation from escaping the threat. He even goes so far as to deny the main threat as demonic--interestingly Father Andrew does too at first, perhaps out of guilt for being unable to defend the boys properly--and says that the boys who allied with demons are doing this in retaliation for the life they've lived. Still, every main character needs a foil who views the world differently, and I think David was good for Peter in that regard. David does grow though. Like Peter, he becomes a man and a "father" in his own way.
Johnson was the least fleshed out and we could've seen more. He's a genuinely cruel and terrible man, sublimating his childhood trauma and life as a criminal into his thoughts and actions. This causes him to be easily influenced by the demons who poke and play at his weaknesses. And in spite of all of that, there is a softer side to him that is deeply buried underneath all that. When the first body is found, Johnson is actually grief-stricken and aghast at Father Poole's insensitivity. There's even smaller moments as he tries and fails to resist possession. I won't spoil his fate, but let's jsut say he's able to turn to this better side; albeit it feels forgotten by the other characters.
All of these perspective develop the plot well, especially Peter and Andrew, and the pacing is topnotch. Every scene carries the plot or some sort of emotional development forward and I cherished every moment of it. And even though the pacing is at the correct speed, not too quick and not too slow, nothing of value is lost from the text. Some books can be too quick and you forget certain things. Others can be too slow and your interest starts to wane. Boys in the Valley avoids all of this.
However, what I think I enjoyed most about this book is the discussion of faith and priesthood. I mentioned earlier that this book is sometimes compared to Midnight Mass on Netflix, but I think it's better than Midnight Mass in its discussions. I have no idea what Fracassi believes in or doesn't believe in, nor is it any of my business, but while Boys in the Valley does show how abuse can and has happened in Catholic orphanages, it never disparages the religion itself or belief. I also want to clarify that the abuse in this book never goes to the sexual level, thankfully. The abuse here is at the hands of power-hungry, uncaring men who want things their way. This ties a little back into the whole fatherhood theme. No idea if Fracassi was intending some sort of commentary on toxic masculinity, but if so I applaud him for not beating us over the head with it. In fact, I think it's Poole and Johnson's cruelty, along with the demons' ability to seduce the broken boys who hate being in the orphanage, that make Peter want to focus on his faith and consider the path of priesthood. He wants to be a good father/priest for those who don't have it.
But anyway, back to the Midnight Mass comparison.
Midnight Mass brought up a lot of great points about asking where God's mercy is (if it is even anywhere, especially among other people), can one be forgiven and redeemed for what they've done, and asking just who or what God is. However, in the last episode of the miniseries one the characters gives her thoughts on what God is and, to be honest, I felt that the director Mike Flanagan was trying to placate both the religious and the non-religious viewers of it. The speech was very "Let's come together and God is just kind of (insert what the character said here)." And frankly, to me, that weakened the horror the show was trying to portray. Boys in the Valley never argues about God's existence, but asks what God demands of us for others. This isn't a book that I'd call Christian fiction, but I'd put it on the same level as Jo Walton's [b:Lent|41554680|Lent|Jo Walton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537516172l/41554680._SY75_.jpg|64833485] or Mary Doria Russell's [b:The Sparrow|334176|The Sparrow (The Sparrow, #1)|Mary Doria Russell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1230829367l/334176._SY75_.jpg|3349153]--it takes its subject matter seriously, something I find refreshing in the wasteland of shit that currently exists in the many fields of media storytelling that has limp-wristed discussions of faith and religion. Fracassi never tries to convert or de-convert anybody. He tells us a compelling story and fleshes out its themes and characters to tackle the subject matter.
One thing worth pointing out when concerning the religious themes of this book is that one needs to remember that this takes place in America shortly after the turn of the century, especially in Pennsylvania. Historically, Catholicism was not openly welcomed in early America by the earlier Protestant settlers, though Pennsylvania was somewhat of a safe haven, though not without prejudice. Having the orphanage being remote in a valley, though at a much later date, feels like that Fracassi is reminding of us how truly alone Peter and the others are. Additionally, the story is set only nine years before the First World War. The First World War, heralded by the shot heard around the world, would be the seedling that would cause the rest of the world to start questioning the powers that be, politically, socially, economically, and religiously. It's almost as if the events of Boys in the Valley is a lament that good people like Peter started to fade or become unseen before the world plunge into disquietude. But that is merely my own ramblings/theory.
And that ending...That fucking ending. I am...I am just filled with joy and sorrow. Bittersweet endings. How I love you.
Thank you for this, Fracassi.